Michael B. Gorin, MD, PhD, is the first recipient of the as Harold and Pauline Price Chair in Ophthalmology and, member of the Vision Science Division, and chief of the Retinal Disorders and Ophthalmic Genetics Division in the Department of Ophthalmology at the David Geffen School of Medicine – UCLA and Jules Stein Eye Institute. He holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Human Genetics, and is a member of the Brain Research Institute.

Dr. Gorin obtained his medical and doctor of philosophy degrees from the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia and completed his internship at the Center for Health Sciences at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). He stayed on at UCLA for postdoctoral fellowship and ophthalmology residency training at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, and then finished a fellowship in Medical Retina and Genetics at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, England.

Dr. Gorin returned to UCLA from the University of Pittsburgh, where he served as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives for the six graduate health sciences schools. He joined the Pittsburgh campus in 1990, rising to the rank of Professor of Ophthalmology and Human Genetics and serving as interim chair for both departments. He was founding director of the Center for Human Genetics and a founding senior associate of the Center for Biomedical Informatics at the university.

Dr. Gorin’s primary research focus is the molecular genetics of hereditary eye disorders, particularly age-related macular degeneration (AMD), retinitis pigmentosa and Stargardt disease. His research team was the first to identify genetic regions that contribute to AMD, which then led to the identification of several macular degeneration genes by multiple scientists. He continues to conduct research in these areas, as well as in the biology of ocular pain and photophobia.

As a full-time faculty member at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, Dr. Gorin divides his time between patient care for diseases of the retina, research into the genetics of inherited eye disorders and training young ophthalmologists and medical students.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness in American adults. It's caused by changes in the blood vessels of the retina, the light sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the inner eye. In some people, retinal blood vessels may swell and leak fluid. In others, abnormal new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina. These changes may result in vision loss or blindness.Learn more >